by Julia Harlow
A table set with scalloped-edged earthenware banded in an orange, yellow, red, and navy pattern reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance caught Isabel’s attention next. The placemats were natural fiber rectangles topped with pristine white linen napkins and sterling-silver flatware. She wished she could discreetly take a photo with her cell so she could show Ellen and Clarissa later.
Ty emerged from the kitchen with their drinks. He sat down next to, but not close to, Isabel on the chocolate-brown rattan sofa with cushions covered in a blue and white country French floral pattern. The three sipped their drinks and chatted.
Finally, Victoria addressed the elephant on the patio. “What’s the matter with you today, Ty? Did you overdose on grumpy pills this morning?”
At the prickly silence that followed, Isabel knew she needed to step up. “It’s my fault, Victoria. I made a terrible error in judgment. I saw you, Jamie, and Ty having lunch at Bella the other day and assumed Ty was with his wife and child. I’m mortified that I jumped to that conclusion. But I understand that Ty can’t forgive me for thinking that he could be that kind of person. It’s inexcusable. I’m sorrier than I can possibly express.”
Victoria eyed her brother and then glanced back at Isabel. “Oh, I see. Well, that explains it. Isabel, why don’t we see about brunch? Ty, you just sit there and stew in your juices.”
Once in the kitchen, Victoria began to open drawers and cabinets and set out serving pieces. After slipping on red oven mitts shaped like roosters, she pulled a piping hot ham-asparagus-and cheese strata from the oven, and then plated warm Danish cheese and fruit pastries. Retrieving from the refrigerator a heavy white bowl filled with cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon that had been scooped into balls, she turned to Isabel. After shedding the oven mitts on the counter, she clasped Isabel by the shoulders.
“Ty may seem like a macho alpha male, but he’s actually very sensitive. His feelings are hurt right now. This may be a setback, but I think, if you’re patient, he’ll come around. His life has gotten so one-dimensional with his work at Grandin Financial. He’s been feeling like something major is missing—like a real life—for a while now.
“You’re exactly the kind of woman he needs. The women who usually pursue him are either after his money, his face, or his body. Or all three. I knew the minute he started telling me about you that you were different. He was really taken with you. Just promise me you won’t give up on him. At least not yet.” She smiled her encouragement. “Now, let’s carry these dishes out.”
As they dined on the delicious fare, Victoria explained that this was Ty’s favorite brunch and she always had to make it for him whenever he came to visit. She effortlessly kept the conversation going with light topics, and Isabel felt the tense muscles in her neck begin to relax a bit. They’d almost finished when Victoria’s blue eyes went wide, and she stilled as if a beckoning call only she could hear had sounded.
“Jamie’s awake.” Her chair scraped across the patio tiles as she scooted back and rose.
“May I come?” Isabel pushed back her chair and stood.
“Of course. Jamie will love meeting you, and I really want to show you the nursery.”
The shades were drawn and the upstairs nursery was dark. “My sweet baby, did you wake up from your nap? Somebody special wants to meet you. And your favorite uncle is waiting to see you.” The sound of Victoria’s soft crooning filled the silent room.
Victoria opened the plantation shutters, and sunlight streamed into a room with walls painted a pale oxford-cloth-shirt blue. The crib, dresser, bookcase, and changing table had been refinished in a distressed white.
The overall theme of the nursery appeared to be trains. A German LGB train was mounted on a track around the upper perimeter of the room. Primary-colored train cars in the shapes of letters that spelled “JAMIE” sat on top of the bookcase. Several classic children’s hardbound books were displayed on brass stands in the bookcase: The Little Engine That Could, The Polar Express, and Freight Trains.
Isabel blinked down on the adorable smiling face, bright blue eyes, and chubby kicking legs of the eight-month-old. At the sight of his mother, Jamie held out his arms and made little mewling sounds. Victoria picked him up and hugged him close to her body.
“Let’s check your diaper, my precious boy.” She gently set him on an antique dresser topped with a quilted white changing pad, and unsnapped the baby’s sleeper. After adeptly changing his wet diaper, Victoria dressed him in a navy-and-white-striped Ralph Lauren cotton onesie.
Isabel felt as though she couldn’t wait another second without enfolding this precious baby in her arms. “May I hold him?”
Without hesitating, Victoria passed her the baby. “Sure. Let’s go back down. I’ll bet Ty’s ready for coffee.”
When the baby’s little arms wrapped around her neck in a trusting hug, it felt so wonderful Isabel thought she might cry from joy. Instead, she breathed in his sweet baby scent and began to sing “Hush Little Baby,” all the while following Victoria back downstairs and out to the patio.
~*~
At the sight of Isabel cuddling his nephew, Ty felt as if he’d been smacked upside the head. She was so fucking wholesome and natural. She obviously didn’t care that Jamie was sucking on the collar of her blouse or that he’d drooled on her shoulder or that one of his hands had a death grip on strands of her hair. That had to hurt like hell. No, the expression on Isabel’s lovely face was one of absolute bliss. As if that weren’t enough, she was singing to Jamie. Drawn in by her clear, pure voice, Ty fought a compelling urge to close his eyes at the pleasure the melodic sound elicited in him. No wonder Jamie seemed so quiet and still. He was as mesmerized as his uncle.
“Coffee, Ty?” his sister asked.
“Sure. Want me to make it?” He answered on automatic pilot, unable to take his eyes off Isabel and hoping like hell Victoria would decline his offer so he could continue to watch the captivating vision in front of him.
“No. I’ve got it. You just relax.”
It had been a struggle to be near Isabel from the moment he’d picked her up. He’d felt her eyes skimming over his body on the drive to Baywood, even though she’d tried to be discreet about it. It had set him on fire, and he had to fight a painfully hard erection the entire time. Not that he hadn’t noticed every detail about her, from her shiny, sexy cascade of dark hair to those strappy little sandals, and the beautiful face and luscious body in between. Why couldn’t he stay angry with her? He’d been so disappointed in her. How could she think him capable of adultery? Maybe he’d taken it for granted that she knew him better than she did.
And what about that traitor sister of his? Somehow he instinctively knew that Victoria would be crazy about Isabel. Everything about the two of them telegraphed that they were destined to be close friends.
Now Isabel held Jamie slightly away from her so she could see the baby’s face. The way she cupped the back of his blond head and drank him in made it seem like she was his mother. All of a sudden, Ty felt his insides ache at the thought of Isabel pregnant with his babies.
She began to sing another song to Jamie; this one had something to do with what shall we do with the baby-o. Jamie’s eyes were fixated on her mouth. Oh, Ty knew all about that mouth. The sweetest kisses he’d ever known and the source of an undeniable craving and desire came from that mouth.
Victoria stepped from the kitchen, carrying a tray laden with the coffee pot, cups and saucers, cream pitcher, and sugar bowl, all matching the brunch earthenware. Ty rose to help her and followed the direction of her gaze lingering on Isabel and Jamie.
“Jamie certainly has taken to her, Ty.”
“He likes her singing to him.”
Victoria was quiet for a moment. “You know I probably don’t sing to him enough. I read him nursery rhymes and play classical music for him, but singing is different.”
Isabel stopped singing when she realized both sets of siblings’ eyes were focused on her. She carried the
baby toward them. “The coffee smells so good. May I help?”
“Here, I’ll take Jamie and you can pour.” When Victoria swept Jamie from her arms, he momentarily whimpered. “Oh, Isabel, he’s drooled all over your beautiful blouse! Here, take this cloth and see if it will wipe off.” She handed Isabel a white cloth.
Isabel took the cloth but set it down on the chair. “It’s nothing, really. Ty, how do you take your coffee?”
“Black, please.”
After she’d poured his cup, she handed it to him, and their fingers touched, sending a jolt of sexual awareness up his arm.
“Victoria?”
“Cream and two spoonfuls of sugar, please. Guess I’ll never lose these last ten pounds from the pregnancy.”
Isabel poured cream in the cup and added the sugar. “I was just thinking that you’re so slender; no one would ever guess you have an eight-month-old baby.”
Victoria beamed. “God, you’re sweet, Isabel. And sincere. Ty, you’d better reconsider. I really adore this woman.”
When Jamie started to fuss, Ty took him from Victoria to let her enjoy her coffee in peace. “C’mon, buddy, let’s you and I take a walk.” Jamie pumped his chubby legs and squealed as Ty lifted him into the air and flew him around in front of him.
Chapter 9
The drive back to San Francisco wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as the drive to Victoria’s. Isabel relaxed in the leather seat and took in the details of the lush landscaping and stately homes as they drove through the neighborhood toward Highway 101.
They’d just left Baywood when Ty cleared his throat and spoke. “I really appreciate you coming today, Isabel. It meant a lot to see my sister so happy. She really enjoyed spending time with you. I realize it can’t have been easy for you.”
“No, not at first. But I had a wonderful time. Your sister is lovely. And Jamie, well, he stole my heart the minute I saw him. What an adorable baby.” She smiled, shaking her head at the memory of the “talking” sounds the baby had made as if he were trying to join in on the adults’ conversation. He’d been so serious that darling little creases appeared in his forehead.
Ty turned right onto the ramp to the highway and accelerated into a break in the traffic. “Vicky really likes you, and Jamie, well, let’s just say he doesn’t usually take to new people so quickly. Or so completely. Have you been around a lot of babies?”
“Not for a long time. The summer after my senior year of high school I babysat for a family with four children. It was a special circumstance. The parents both travelled frequently for work, and I’d stay at their house several nights a week, usually twice a month. The children were nine months, two, four, and five years old.
“I did everything: their meals, laundry, baths, doctor and dentist appointments, bedtime stories, stroller walks, and visits to the park. I loved it. I wasn’t sure I would, but I needed the money to help out at home. Turns out I have a soft spot for children and especially babies. In fact, I’ve been considering volunteering at a neo-natal intensive care unit as a baby cuddler.”
“Baby cuddler?” Ty took his eyes off the road for a second to glance over at her.
“Science has proven the incredible therapeutic benefits premature infants gain from being held, cuddled, and talked to. There aren’t enough nurses or volunteers to go around for all the babies that need to be held.
“I didn’t need a scientific study to tell me that. It’s just common sense. Of course a baby, premature or not, needs to be held and comforted. How would that not make a baby healthier and happier?”
“You’re right, of course. I’ve never heard of it before,” Ty said.
They were quiet for a while as they neared the exit to San Francisco.
The glare from the afternoon sun blinded Isabel, so she rummaged around in her purse for her sunglasses and slipped them on. She hesitated a moment before asking, “Is Victoria in some sort of difficulty? It’s none of my business, so I certainly understand if you don’t want to tell me.”
When Ty didn’t say anything, Isabel thought he wasn’t going to answer. Something in his stony expression made her think he didn’t talk about his personal life. Finally, he nodded as if he’d come to a decision.
“Richard, her husband, lost his job. He’s been interviewing for positions out of town. With the birth of Jamie and with Vicky not working, it’s been a challenge to keep up their lifestyle with one income. Now they’re depleting their savings to get by. I’ve offered to help, believe me. But Richard is very proud. While I admire him for his principles, it hurts to see my sister and nephew in a precarious position. She doesn’t want to move from their home, obviously, or be too far from San Francisco. But it looks like that’s what it may come down to.
“Richard is very talented, but he’s expecting to make the same salary he was making before he was let go. The market’s not going to support that. I offered him a choice position at Grandin Financial, but he refused to even consider it. In the meantime, the stress on him and their marriage is taking its toll. My sister’s been focusing all her energy on trying to figure this out and worrying about the future.
“When I mentioned you to her at Bella, she jumped all over it and perked up.” He paused, wiping his fingers across his forehead. “That’s why it was so important that you come today.”
“Oh, Ty, I’m sorry to hear that. What field is Richard in?”
“He worked for Hewlett Packard in the 3-D printer programming division. Competition is fierce in that area, and his project design team was eliminated right after Jamie was born because another team had a better idea.”
Isabel stared out the window, winding the strap of her purse around her index finger. “That’s awful. It’s like with one roll of the dice you’re out of the game. I feel so bad for Victoria.”
“Richard will find something eventually. It’s just hard right now for my sister. And she’s got Jamie to think about. With our parents living in the south of France, I’m the only relative she has nearby.”
“I’ll keep my ears open for anything I might hear about for Richard.”
They pulled up in front of the loft. Ty switched off the ignition and turned toward her, draping an arm over the back of her seat. “Thanks, I really appreciate that. Speaking of jobs, now that you’ve got your job again, are you going to move back to your Victorian in the Excelsior District?”
“No. Unfortunately, a young couple snapped it up, and they’ve already moved in.”
Ty bent one knee on the pearl-white leather seat and focused his full attention on her. “I get the feeling you don’t particularly want to be living with Ellen. I’m curious. Why is that?”
Isabel stared out the car window at nothing in particular. “My mother and I lived with Ellen and her family for five years. I was ten to almost fifteen years old at the time and have no pleasant memories. Feeling out of my element, I was completely ill-equipped to deal with living in that toxic household. Let’s just say fresh meat thrown into a pool of rabid piranhas couldn’t have been more vulnerable. My mother finally divorced Willard. The day she took me away from that house was the happiest day of my life.
“Ellen and I had become friends before we moved out. It’s been an odd relationship, to say the least. On the one hand, she’s a constant reminder of what it was like during those horrible years. On the other hand, she’s my closest friend. My emotions are a jumble where she’s concerned; although deep down I know I love her.” Isabel twisted the strap of her purse in her fingers. “I’ve never actually verbalized that to anyone before. It must sound very weird to you.”
Ty shook his head. “Not really. Family relationships can be complicated. In your situation, thrust into an existing family as an outsider, difficulties would have arisen even if the family were well-adjusted. Sounds like that’s not the case.”
“That’s an understatement. Willard’s first wife overdosed on barbiturates and vodka in their bedroom when she discovered he was going to divorce her. It happened one day
while the girls were in school, and they found her when they came home that afternoon.
“Even before that, she had a difficult personality from what Ellen has told me: controlling, ice cold, never able to relax, and not an ounce of joy in her anywhere. She’d send the girls to their rooms for the day for no apparent reason.
“Ellen showed me a picture of her once. She looked a bit like Cate Blanchette in that aloof blonde sort of way. Apparently, she was far too concerned with impressing her friends and neighbors with how perfect her family was, instead of concentrating on loving her husband and daughters.”
Isabel fidgeted in her seat, feeling like she’d divulged too much already. “I’d better be going. I’m not sure what Ellen’s plans were for today, and she may not have walked the dogs.”
Opening his door and striding around to the passenger door, he opened it and grasped her hand to help her out. When she moved toward the stairs, he stepped closer to her. “Isabel?”
She turned to face him. “Yes?”
He scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt. “I wanted to say . . . that is . . . what you said to Vicky about your error in judgment and how sorry you are, well . . . Maybe I over-reacted.” He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans, staring down at the sidewalk.
“Oh?”
Finally raising his blue eyes to meet hers, he asked, “Do you think we could go back to where we were before you saw me at Bella?”
Now it was Isabel’s turn to stare down at the sidewalk. “I don’t know. A lot has happened. I guess I’d need some time to think about it.”
“How much time?”
She stared up at him. “I’m not sure.”
“May I call you tomorrow? Maybe we could go for a drink or walk the dogs together.”
She really wanted him to call her tomorrow. She wanted to go for a drink with him and walk the dogs together. And so much more. But the emotional slalom of the last two days had taken its toll on her. With the depth of feeling she had for him, she knew this man had the power to totally devastate her. She needed time to sort it all out.
